


the phoenix died in the ashes, I bring the dustpan, you bring the broom

by 1000lux



Category: Spartacus Series (TV), Spartacus: Vengeance, Spartacus: War of the Damned
Genre: ...seriously is that even a warning?, Alternate Canon, F/M, Happy Ending, Hurt feelings, Lost Love, beginning spartacus: war of the damned, continues till the end of War of the Damned, eventual getting back together, language..., mentioning of violence, set at the end of spartacus: vengeance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-12-18
Updated: 2016-06-21
Packaged: 2018-01-02 13:03:35
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 2
Words: 5,341
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1057104
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/1000lux/pseuds/1000lux
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Glaber and Ilithyia survive the end of <i>Spartacus: Vengeance</i>.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. It's officially too late

**Author's Note:**

> DISCLAIMER: I don't own anything! Neither characters or story from the books nor the TV series!
> 
> I seem to be the only one interested in this pairing, for I haven't found anything on that topic. Nevertheless I found their's was one of the most passionate and captivating relationships portrayed on TV in so long. So I felt like writing this basically for my own need.

 

Seen you fall, seen you crawl on you knees  
Seen you lost in a crowd, seen you colors fade

Just a shot, just a shot, in the dark, oh, oh  
All you got, all you got, are your shattered hopes

And when they call your name  
And they put your picture in a frame  
You know that I'll be there time and again  
'Cause I loved you when

When you hit the ground, hit the ground, hit the ground, oh oh  
Only sound, only sound that you heard was "no"

You never saw it coming  
Slipped when you started runnning

(Taylor Swift - Sweeter than fiction)

*****************

He'd gotten home. Well, if you could call the ruins of the house of Battiatus 'home'. More dead  
than alive he got off his exhausted horse. He still wasn't sure how he'd managed to get out of  
the battlefield that in the end had looked like Orcus himself had ascended to drag them right to  
the underworld.

The first thing he set eyes on when he entered the hall, was the slain slave girl on the floor.  
And he knew it was going to be bad. When he saw the bloodied bed he knew he would find neither  
of them alive. Not his child. Not Illythia. He'd thought her death wouldn't mean that much to him  
after everything.  
He knew her now for what she was. But then, he'd always known what she was. She'd probably lie and  
cheat Charon out of his money.  
Yet, it seemed to be true, that in times like this you only recalled your fondest memories of the  
person. So what came to his mind was the woman that had visited him at the battlefield, sparkling  
with mischief, sensuousness, beauty that should have been forbidden, and most of all love. The girl,  
he had sworn eternal love to, that had robbed him of will and senses.

He followed the trail of blood outside, hoping they hadn't destroyed her face. She would have  
hated to be sent to her grave, without radiating as much beauty as she had in life.

There she was. Her gown seeped through with her blood. Blue mixing with red, turning shades of purple  
occasionally. It looked like sunset. At the same time it reminded him of the way she'd looked after she'd  
cut Seppia's throat.  
Only then she had been glowing with life. Like she'd absorbed the life that had flown out of Seppia.  
Radiant and strong, more alive then ever. Not at all so fragile, so frail, lying there on the floor  
her hair fanning over her face, enmeshed in her vast gown as much as in her own blood, looking as abandoned  
and broken as Seppia had back then. An arrangement of flowers, the vidid colors only shortly hiding the  
fact that they are already dead, their beauty nothing but a captured moment already escaping your touch,  
before your fingers have even closed around it.  
Illythia had always been exquisite, he had never imagined she could be anything else. Always winning, always  
laughing in the end. Blue eyes sparkling with glee and contempt.

He turned her on her back, seeing now the origin of all the blood. His face contorted in disgust and  
uncontrolled rage. Who would do something like this? He wouldn't wish that kind of death on anyone.  
He felt the soft brush of air on his hand when he brushed her hair out of her face.

How could he not have checked?!

He bandaged her wound as good as he could and ran outside. He didn't even have a slave, he could send for a doctor  
at this point.

****

"It is a miracle she lives," the doctor assessed, when he was finished tending to her wound, "For now at  
least.", he washed his hands in a bowl by the bedside, "Her bloodloss was considerable."  
"You will make sure she survives, or I'll have your life."  
"Not even Jupiter can command life or death, whether or not you kill me afterwards won't have an effect on  
whether she lives or dies."

****

"Gaius?" Her voice sounded small. She'd never sounded small in her life. Not even when her father  
had died.  
"Illythia!" He was by her side immediately.  
"The baby," she rasped out between dry and split lips, "She took it. She jumped with it. We have  
to find her. She has to be here somewhere!"  
"What are you talking about?" He tried to calm her, "Who jumped?"  
"Lucretia. She...she took my baby and jumped of the cliff. You have to look for her." She seemed to  
go more frantic with every passing moment, "She will hide from us. You have to be quick!"  
He'd noticed Lucretia missing from the house upon his arrival, but hadn't given much thought to where  
her body might be, so far.  
"Illythia," he stroked her hair, "She is dead, so is our child."  
"I know. So are we. I just don't understand, why I still have my wound. Will I have to carry it  
for all eternity?"  
"Illythia, you're alive. So am I." He didn't tell her that he didn't know for how much longer she  
would be. It wouldn't do her any good. And he didn't have the heart to be cruel at a moment like  
this.

He looked at her and wondered if the woman he'd known had been broken. If all that remained of her  
was this mind caught in madness.

She didn't say anything more, only her hands, clenched into fists, would twitch compulsively from  
time to time.

They had been monsters. What were they now? Either of them. He hadn't seen it, that day she'd come  
into his camp, back then when no one knew the name Spartacus yet.

****

"What will happen now?"  
"We will return to Rome once you're well enough to travel," he gave her a lopsided smile, "Finally  
your wish is granted. I've lost my face and my army."

There was no use staying in Capua any longer. So he would run back to Rome, tail between legs.  
Great men recognize defeat. And defeated he was. Before the senate gave him new means to deploy  
troops or he inherited Illythia's estate (Had he really just thought that?!) he would have  
to go back to his senator-robes, dealing with the mockery and the shame.

****

"Gaius?"  
"Yes..." He paused in the doorway. His surprise must have shown on his face. He couldn't remember  
the last time she'd asked for his company.  
"Nothing."

Seemed her pride was still stronger than her fear of death. He didn't feel compassionate enough to  
humor her even now.  
It could have been a step in his direction on her side, but probably she was just catering to her own  
needs, not giving a thought about the people surrounding her, like always.

Their eyes met, both refusing to show emotion, and he walked past her room.

****

He looked down at her sleeping form, wondering. How had they gotten to this point? Had it all just  
been her lust for position and status? He couldn't quite believe it. He remembered well, the time,  
that very well-off only-daughter had married him against all warnings.  
Had he been too captured by his war against Spartacus to pay enough attention to their love slipping  
away? Had he been too sure of her affection?  
And now he'd lost everything. His army. His position. His money. And her. What did it make him, that  
he wasn't sure which of those losses had been the worst.

****

She was looking like a doll, sitting there in the bed. Her hair, newly washed and combed by the  
newly aquired slaves, spilling over her ocean-green dress. Her face seemed to consist only of eyes.  
A lost girl. She looked up at him, when he came to stand at the side of the bed. Her features pursed  
in concentration, as if she'd only now come to that realisation. 

"I never even wanted that child. Why does it hurt that much?" She looked at him, as if really expecting  
an answer.  
"You will have other children." He tried to console her. Her laughter ringed through the room  
sharply as the sound of steel hitting bone.  
"I will never have another child!" The hate and contempt in her voice seemed to be directed at  
no one and everyone at the same time, "We both know, that bitch did quite a job, when she cut me up."  
Her face was momentarily covered by her hair, when she leaned forward resting her face in her palm.  
She let out a weary sigh, "It's probably for the best. Who knows what kind of changeling would have  
been born from my womb."  
He compulsively reached out to brush over her hair in a somehow inappropriate tender gesture, so  
unbefitting of the two of them, these days.  
Her shoulders shook slightly, her tears only revealed, by the wetness of her hand when she  
slapped away his'.  
"Don't look at me with those kind and pitying eyes!" Her features had taken a wild quality, "Your  
pity is both unwanted and wasted on me."  
"We both feel the same pain. There is nothing wrong about acknowledging shared grief."  
"It wasn't even your child!" she screamed at him through tears, "It was Spartacus'," her lips  
formed into a sneer that was mixture of pain and disdain, "I fucked him right here in Battiatus'  
house!"

He felt his features turn to ice, while his mind contemplated that the appropriate reaction would  
be to strike her. Yet he stood unmoving.

"Well, I shouldn't be surprised, considering how fast you were to wave your cunt at Varinius," he  
heard his voice utter, devoid of emotion.  
She paused in her movement only for a second, her heavy breath hitching for a moment. Then she  
settled back on the bed.  
"Well, wasn't that a heart-warming conversation. At least you won't have a hard time trying to  
divorce me. No one would have you keep a woman that can't bear child any longer."  
She looked as immaculate again, as she had when he'd entered, only the traces of tears on her cheeks  
still betraying what her face and body had by now concealed so thoroughly.  
"Though, of course we're still to see if you're even able to sire any, for so far you haven't achieved  
what took Spartacus but one night."  
She seemed completely at ease again, her face graced by her most poisoningly sweet smile.  
"Indeed, I shall get everything ready. It might seem inappropriate to divorce a dying woman, but as it's  
your wish and I don't want to be said to have only stayed with you so I could inherit your money, I see  
nothing standing in our way. There's no time to waste. I'd hate for you not to live to see yourself finally  
freed of the shackles of this tiring marriage." He knew his words had been unnessicarily cruel. But when had  
they ever been known to pull their punches? Not with others, even less with each other. 

Still she just sat there (though lounging would probably have been the more appropriate word) with inpregnable  
poise, her face showing naught but maybe slight boredom.

****

When she looked at Gaius, she could still see the young boy of 17 she'd met back then. The one  
she'd fallen passionately in love with. The one she'd thought she couldn't live without.  
When he'd smiled at her it had looked like the sun was radiating from within him. She had thought  
their future would be just as irradiant and beautiful. And never, never would they be apart.  
A girl might think a lot of stupid things when she's young. He hadn't been the shining prince she'd  
tried to make of him. Neither had she been much of a virtuous princess.  
Their dreams had turned into nightmares and she was hardpressed to remember what her dreams had been  
before all the talk of prestige and position, back when they would lie in the meadow, watching the  
clouds pass by with no other thoughts than never letting the other go ever again.

Life had been sweet back then. They had been sweet back then. All he had always wanted to be had been a  
centurion and she had told her father she didn't care whether they would live in a shack. She had threatened  
her father to drown herself if he didn't give consent to the marriage.  
Illythia wondered if she had corrupted him or if they'd been much more alike from the beginning.

Sometimes they would look at each other over the floor and it seemed, if only one of them said the word  
they could return to what had been lost.  
But neither did. What had started as pride had turned to indifference. They'd gotten sick and tired of  
each other. And really they'd done everything in their power for it to be that way.

Once he'd loved her for the way she was. He had loved her for her cunning, before he learnt to resent it.  
Just as she had started to feel his presence as mere baggage.  
What a pair they'd been. Striking out enemies as much as competitors along their way. The blood of the various  
dead, like an offering to Venus, renewing their vows.  
They could have been magnificent. And now they were nothing any longer.

It had been her call finally and she had called it gladly, prematurely maybe.

But she wouldn't waste time with sentimentalities. She regarded herself in the mirror, her new  
elaborate gown covering her, cut to pieces, body.  
She was still beautiful and once the divorce was through she would have her father's money. Life  
was still full of vast possibilities. For those who dared, there was an abundance to take.  
And take she would.

****

The divorce went considerably uncomplicated. After all the fights, the betrayals and the dead  
that had plastered their way, since their falling out with each other, it seemed somehow mocking  
that all this would end so silent and easy.  
When he'd married her, he'd been sure he would spent the rest of his life with her, whispering her  
name even with his last breath. And somehow now, he'd still expected there to be an impact or something  
when this bond between them had finally been severed.  
But there was none, everything continued exactly as before. Jupiter didn't throw thunder and lightning  
from the sky, nor did the crop spoil.  
To ridicule them even more, they still lived under the same roof. Illythia still being too weak to  
travel and him still having to clean up his mess in Capua and not seeing the point in getting another  
place to stay (and of course his finances not really leaving much room either).  
And maybe, maybe he was reluctant too, to leave her in the state she was in. Though he somehow doubted  
that his foul words, which she graced with equal replies, were much comfort to her.

 


	2. No, it isn't

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Finally, after literally years, the conclusion of Glaber's and Illythia's story.

There you'll stand, ten feet tall  
I will say, "I knew it all along"  
Your eyes, wider than distance  
This life is sweeter than fiction

There you'll stand, next to me  
All at once, the rest is history

(Taylor Swift - Sweeter than fiction)

********

She walked into the room with an admirable flourish, given her injuries. He really admired her ability to bounce back like that. But she was probably feeding on his life-energy.  
"You're still here, Gaius?" she asked sweetly as if she'd just realised he was still in the room, "I would have expected you to be back on your way to Rome already. Soliciting for money."  
"Oh, I wouldn't leave you behind like this. After all, you have lost everyone." he returned, closely watching for the impact his words would have. They smiled at each other amicably for a while.  
Both cutting their losses, weighing their opportunities.  
He'd always loved her sharp tongue. And to his great surprise he didn't find it unendearing now.

****

She'd been crying when he walked in on her.  
"You were crying?" It had been so long since any true emotion except anger had been behind their words, so he'd probably forgotten how to give comfort.  
"Not about you." she sneered at him.  
"Of course, you've got no tears to spare for me."

****

Finally they'd arrived. After so many years of Illythia wanting to return here, they finally saw Rome again.  
"Gaius." she nodded at him, in a stiff way, unacostumed to the gesture.  
"Illythia."  
This was what it came down to. 'Goodbye'. Or, 'I never want to see your face ever again'. They'd always been extreme in their emotions. So, why not. It was fitting. He chuckled.  
She looked at him both arms crossed, both miffed and petulant, her eyes demanding to know what had amused him so much, daring him to let her be the reason for it.  
He wouldn't mind seeing her from time to time. Maybe on the street. Or at a party, watching her diminish someone else with that poisonous tongue of hers.

****

Her reintroduction to Roman society had been a lot more successful than his. Not that he was surprised. She was the daughter of a respected Roman senator, who'd made the mistake of marrying the wrong man. A mistake that could be forgiven. He on the other hand, was a fallen Praetor, who'd made a fool of himself on the battlefield. Something that no man or woman in Rome would ever forget, unless maybe had he defeated Spartacus' entire army. But that wasn't looking like something that was going to happen in the foreseeable future. Unless, he was intending to do it single-handedly.

He already regretted having come to this party. She disengaged herself from the cluster of people that was of course flocking around her, laughing at whatever witty and doubtless scathing she'd just said. He wouldn't have been surprised if it had been about him, too.

"I hear, you're going to marry Crassus." He greeted her.  
"He already has children and needs the good name of my family. And at least we'll always know that we didn't marry each other for our money." She shrugged with a delightfully girlish and effortlessly graceful gesture.  
"I heard he is in love with one of his slaves." He uttered against better knowledge. When he'd gone to this party, he'd agreed with himself that he was only there to get new sponsors, not that he would give her the impression of jealousy so she could make a fool of him. He had a feeling he would be doing that himself ere the night was through, though.  
"Oh, Gaius," she exclaimed joyously, patting him on the shoulder, "You didn't really think I was marrying him out of love?"  
"You married me out of love." He wasn't sure what point he was trying to make, but make it he would. She wouldn't win this so she could reduce him, right here in public.  
"The ceremony will be right after he's divorced his wife. You are of course invited. Don't bother to bring presents. I know you are..." she pondered mockingly, one finger poised against her lips, wearing an incredibly innocent and unheeding expression that would have any man in the room at her beck and call, "struggling, right now." she finished.  
Mischief still glinting in her eyes, she walked away from him, "Ah, Marcus, there you are."

****

She looked beautiful, immaculate. Standing there in her wedding gown, a wreath of flowers in her hair. At Crassus' arm, the perfect hostess, sparkling with life.

Gaius saw her in front of his eyes then. At their wedding day, when she'd whispered into his ear, between sweet kisses, that she'd ram a knife in his heart should he ever be unfaithful to her. He had to smile at the memory. Other pictures came to his mind. Her sitting there, all in black, just after her father's death. He'd never intended it to get that far between them. He'd never wanted to hurt her like that. But, back then, they'd both given their worst.  
Albinius, though, would have approved of this wedding. He felt a certain glee that he wasn't going to see it.

At least, he could take comfort in one thing. Marcus Crassus would take no pleasure in her. She would suck the flesh from his bones and the blood out of his veins. And maybe, one day, once she was through with him, there would be another chance for them. He could picture them, years later, both of them old now, and she would be just as poisonous. And still beautiful.

****

She walked into the kitchen to them engaged in passionate kissing. Though in Illythia's opinion it couldn't be called really passionate if not at least one of the participants had just killed someone.  
She had to compliment Marcus for at least making an attempt to look appropriately stricken. Kore stepped away from him trembling in deep shock.  
"Domina, forgive me!"   
Illythia stopped her right there. "By all means continue. I was just looking if there was really no more whine from Sicily, or if the girl was just too stupid to find it." She spotted the amphore she'd been looking for on the counter behind her husband. "Marcus, would you be so kind?" He handed the amphore to her, looking dumbfounded.  
"Oh, of course I'm not going to carry it back on my own like a peasant girl." She snorted, amused, "Send a slave with it."  
She turned with as much grace as with which she'd handled this situation and left the way she came. With a bang.

Marcus considered once more that it had been a good idea to marry her. She was a much more fitting wife than his first one had been. She had a lot more presence. She was dangerous, like him. Even though he wasn't worried, he considered himself to be smarter than her. Nevertheless, how a man like Glaber had managed to hold such a woman?

****

"I hear your endevours bore little fruit so far. And even though you surely must be used to it by now, after all the years we have known each other, I feel a certain responsibility for you. So, I see it's only fair if I offer to persuade my husband to give you a place in his army for his upcoming pursuit of Spartacus."  
"That would suit you alright, you bitch!" Crassus spat out. "Crassus is going to realise soon enough, just like me, what kind of viper he let into his bed."  
"Given his intellect that, just like his money, outweights yours by far, I should certainly hope he already knows." Illythia returned sweetly.

****

Tiberius came into her room, eyes wild.  
"My father took something from me, I'd take something from him now." His intentions, as he moved in on her, were clear.  
"Stupid, little boy," Illythia laughed. "Have you ever been with a woman at all? Or just with that boy who you had to beat to death?" Another girlish chuckle that had so little to do with her words, escaped her.   
He made a jump forwards, looking like he was going to strike her. Her gaze turned to steel within a second.  
"If you intend to raise that hand against me, you should better be prepared to part with it forever."  
His hand stopped in midair, then slowly dropped again.  
"Now, that was embarrassing, just to watch. Don't worry, I won't mention it to your father." She smiled. "You may remove yourself from my rooms now."  
He still looked at her, thunderstruck. Then he slowly turned around.  
He was on his way to the door, when she caught up with him, letting a pale hand glide over his neck. "By the way, my dear, cherished stepson, if you really want to hurt your father, you're looking at the entirely wrong place."

****

"I heard your husband had a few mishaps. How many men did they say he lost?" Crassus asked conversationally, sliding onto the klinai beside her, toasting her with his cup.  
"Oh Gaius, you know that kind of talk has always bored me. And I'm already used to husbands being a disappointment." Illythia fanned herself, with a mildly bored looked, not in the least fazed by his words.

****

"Still in Rome I see, Gaius. I'm sure there's some mercenary troop desperate enough to take you in. Since you turned down my noble act of charity."  
"You are mighty chipper given all that gossip going around. Maybe Spartacus is really better than people gave him credit for. Or you have just incredibly bad luck at picking your husbands. As if the poor sod didn't have enough on his plate already. Having you for a wife would be enough, one would think. And now his slave ran away. My, my," Gaius shook his head in mock concern. "Looks, like he could do with a little help."  
"Is that your unique way of asking me if my very generous offer is still on the table?" She asked him, unimpressed.  
No matter his pride, by now his only chance to be part of the war against Spartacus was joining Crassus' lines.  
"That depends whether the offer is still on the table."  
"I'm sure something can be arranged. It's good you came to your senses. Sometimes it's okay to accept a little help to get back on your feet."

****

"Why exactly are you travelling with me?"  
"Oh, to pay my husband a visit of course. To highten his spirits." Illythia chuckled from inside her palanquin.  
"That's going to highten his spirits alright."  
"Are you saying he wouldn't be happy to see me?" She asked, mock-offended.  
"What man wouldn't be happy to see you, Illythia. As happy as seeing a foreboding omen." He smiled at her.  
"Who knows, maybe I'm just that. I've been known to turn a fortune here and there."

****

He felt her eyes follow him. Always watching. Felt himself get self-conscious because of it. His position shamefully low, under the command of Crassus' son.

Crassus wasn't sure about the surprise visit of his wife. Despite the rules, he let her stay. He placed little value on superstition and he mustn't give the impression that she was here by anything but his own orders.  
Even, though, he wasn't sure about her game here. Had she just come to gloat over her ex-husband? That seemed petty, even though, those two seemed to have a lot of unfinished business. Nevertheless, he had more pressing matters to attend to than the trifles of his wife.

****

Gaius saw Caesar and Illythia exchange glances on the news of Tiberius' capture.  
"You planned all this..." Gaius said.  
"I might have suggested something."  
"What's it to you?"  
"The boy was mighty tedious, wouldn't you say? Absolutely no impulse control."

Later that day, Gaius was given the command over the men Tiberius had commanded before. Crassus was a practical man. 

****

Illythia stood beside him, a cup of wine in her hand, as she leaned in conspiratorily.  
"500 seems a little excessive, wouldn't you say? He has other sons after all."  
"You have no heart at all, do you?" He asked.  
"Like you care about the fate of his son."   
"Oh, I sure don't. I just thought you'd have a little compassion for the man you wedded."  
"At least I showed a little compassion for your misfortunes."

****

She stood at his side appropriately chastened and concerned, despite her words earlier. Even a small outcry as they took Tiberius' corpse in. Clinging to the arm of her husband. Gaius shouldn't have been surprised, but he was.

"I wonder what that poor man ever did to you." Gaius said. This time it was him who comes to her tent. "I'm not sure what game you're playing, but I'll sure enough stick around to watch."  
"Oh, you're so dense it's not even endearing anylonger. No wonder you never accomplished anything in life."  
"Oh my, did I hit a nerve there, my dear?"  
"You better get out, before my husband sees you here."  
"I think we both know that Crassus doesn't care either way who is or is not inside your tent. Or inside you for that matter."  
"You've spent too much time with the common soldiers, my dear. You've become crude."  
He was not going to break her armor tonight, he realised that. He prepared to leave.  
"Well, at least he's got his loved-one back." Illythia commented offhandedly.  
"At least that."

****

Gaius wasn't too miffed when he's told by Crassus to stay behind with his men and hold the camp. And to protect Crassus' wife from any danger. The man seemed to possess a sense humor after all. For what it concerned Gaius, he didn't need another defeat against Spartacus and he wasn't so sure Crassus and Caesar wouldn't be in for a surprise today. It wouldn't have been the first one when it came to the man.

Illythia and Gaius watched together from the mountain as The troops of Spartacus were slowly taken over.  
"Now would be a good time to enter the battle." Illythia commented.

Caesar watched with disbelief as Gaius' troops rode in, taking the laurels for his victory.

****

Gaius came back from the battlefield, victoriously. Both Crassus and Caesar knew that his glory was undeserved, yet neither could do anything about it. Crassus probably didn't care either way, since he'd get the most renown for having killed Spartacus. And Caesar couldn't do anything about it.

He rode to Illythia, gleeming like the cat that got the cream. He stopped the horse straight in front of her, getting off.  
"You still love me." He said, looking double the victor.  
She turned around and walked straight back into her tent. He didn't let her get away that easily, following behind.  
"I didn't get it immediately," He continued. "it's so unusual of you to do anything for something other than your own benefit." She clenched her teeth at his barb, a show of emotion she wouldn't have dreamed showing, usually. "But then, I've always been the exception, haven't I?"  
She dignified that only with a snort. "Well, you seemed to need all the help you could get."  
He shook his head, as if to himself, circling around her. "There I thought, what on earth is she up to? When all the time, you were in love with me."  
"Oh, you know I've always loved you, you fool!" She yelled.  
He had her pressed against a tentpole before she even realised what had happened, kissing her deeply. Both his hands holding her face. She returned it, equally feral. Only to kick him and push him away, her face red and angry.  
He only pulled her close again, panting against her mouth, "Marry me."

****

Illythia was looking forward to finally breaking up camp. She'd spent more time inside encampments than she'd ever had any intention to. But Crassus still needed to take care of some business that he insisted couldn't be dealt with in the arenas. 

She walked along the road that served as Crassus' own personal warning to all slaves to come. She spotted Crassus standing in front of a particular cross. Illythia looked at the crucified woman, then threw a last glance at her soon-to-be second ex-husband, "What a fool." She walked away then. At least Gaius and her had never been that stupid.

Maybe this was going to end in flames again. Illythia smiled to herself. Somehow, she felt confident that whatever separation wouldn't be permanent. At the bottom line she was still the girl who'd made promises of eternal love on a meadow, just as she was the woman who'd cut Seppia's throat.  
Gaius came to stand beside her, kissing her hand.  
"Have you told him yet?"  
"I think I'll save it for after the victory procession. I wouldn't dream to miss my chance of riding in the first row."  
"Of course you wouldn't." His eyes crinkled in a smile that, after so many sneers and mocking smiles, was nothing but genuine.

**Author's Note:**

> If you got to this, you actually read it. Wow! Now comment please.^^


End file.
